Switch



i Patented Julyvl, 1930 JOY B. SCHMITT, vorV Tonno, onto ENT oFFlcE.'

, Vi-issIGNonTo THE DE vILBIss coMrANcoF SWITCH" Y c Application ned May 19,v

This inventionrelates to a switch; adapted to beused for controlling all or a portion of an electric circuit,` and constructed with special referenceto its4 use'in connection withV portableV electric .,appliances."r

The object of the invention is to provide t a switchV of'this jtypewhich is :of simple, practical and, durable construction, which is reliable in its operation, vand `which may be easily assenfibledorinstalled.` In its preferred construction, the Y switch boX or housing includes two members j through lwhich the conductorlines pass, one of these members, being rotatable step byk step successively toon orfoft1 position., v

The specific construction of the invention 4in its .preferred embodiment, together with the advantages 4resulting, therefrom,will be more particularly/explained in connection :with the accompanyingdrawing illustrating the same. In` the drawing: y l

Figure lis a longitudinal section through the axis of the switch. i

Fig.` 2 is a transverse line 2-201l Fig.1.f v v c, j

Fig. 3 is aV transverse sectionk taken'on. the line 3 -3`0 Fig. 1. j v

Fig. 4 is a viewY partlyin elevation and partly inisection showing the relatively stationary member to which the conductor ter- `minals are, connected. c A

Fig. 5 is a rdetail..perspective viewof one .of the stationary contact membersLI i c Fig.6is a detail perspectiveview ofthe rotary bridge piece.;V ,p

. Referring `in .detail to the drawing, the switch constitutingthe subject `matterA of the invention comprises a cylindrical shell 7, which. may befof metal, and within which is a `relatively stationary switch block v 8 of insulating material.. This block-,is provided on its kperiphery with a longitudinal groove or keyway 9.]adapted to receivey a ,lu 1() formed on theV inner face of the shell 7.

section takencnther f The block Slis formed centrally with ai hub -which is yable space (for the arcuate;

ratchet 2,4 and is in the s having yradial lugs 26 Lte 192'?.` `serial N. Leases. *i n 11l which, projects outwardly beyond the A shell 7 and is provided with a central pasf sageway 12 through `which pass the yconductor members 13 andll. One offthese conductor members, as 14C, is' cut and their)O ends .thusformed connected `to terminal posts 15 in the block 8.v i

Arcuate metallic plates 16 are secured to the face of the block 8 at opposite `sides of its center and areelectrically connected to thejrespectiveposts l5. The end of each plate 16 is formed at its outeredge with a lip, 17 j having a tongue 18 eXtendingin- -wardly atan oblique angle within a recess 19 formed within the outer portion vof the block 8.` The faceof the block 8 isl enclosed yby a cover 20 of insulating material which fits tightly "within the yrim ofthe shell 7 and provided centrallywith a hole 21 and` 14C 65 over 2O throughwhich theA conductors 13 may pass. The periphery of the c `is formed with a ange 22 whichseats against the rim of the block 8 and-the cover is dished outwardly soy as to provide a` suitthe Vposts 15, to which the ends ofthe conductor'14 are connected? v A sleeve 23, also of insulating material,

isrotatably mounted on the hub 11 and `is formed atk its inner endwith. a ratchet 24C. 75 A metallic bridge `piece 25 is carried `by the hape of a liatring, f p rminatingin laterfv vallyturned contact pieces .27 ,adapted to `litu over the outer surfaces of certainteethon i3@ theratchet 24;: e l p' The block 8 has a peripheral `flange 28 .which .extends rbetween thecontact pieces 27 and the shell f7 and has an opening just large enough to'insert the' ratchet`2t there- 85 through when the switch isvbeing assembled.

The; shell7 is formed with an inturned -v l 4flange 29 which vitsl around the sleeve 23 and, in conjunction with the cover 20, Vholds i the several 'parts .of the switch in' assembled 90 plates 16,-` and V t, -con'tact pieces V27 Whenftheratchet 24 is rotated stepl bystep relation. An insulating washer 30 separates the ratchet 24: and contact pieces carried thereby from the flange 29. A knurled head 31 fits over the outer portion of the hub 11 and has a threaded connection with the sleeve 23.

In assembling the various parts of the switch, the arcuate plates 16 are permanently secured to the face of the lblock 8. The bridge pieceV 25 is placed against the face of the ratchet 24 withthe contact zpieces 27 against 'the corresponding 'teeth'lof the ratchet vand the ratchet and sleeve ,28 are then seated upon the hub 11 against the faceof theblock 8. The washer 30' andthe shell 7 are then successively placed inposition and the head 31 is then screwed upon the end of the sleevel 23 so that the parts of the switch thusv assembled cannot-.become separated. The dished cover 2O fits into the end offthe shell 7 and may be irmly held thereinby friction.V p

lIn order to install theswitch, it -is only 'necessary to removethek cover Q0, and after the conductors 13 and 14 have been inserted through the passageway l12 and opening one of the conductorsmay "be cut and lits ends secured to the binding screws 15, after which the cover 20 may be replaced.

The bridge piece 25`may have any suitable number'of Contact pieces 27,`while the number `of teeth on the ratchet 24 should be double the. number of such contact pieces. In the present embodiment, there are-four and eight ratchet teeth.

l'byimeans of the knu'rled head B1, the oppositely disposed tongues 18 will ride along Y vthe edge of theiratchet. These tonguesare resilient and will in one positionengage opposite `contact fmembers 27 to close the circuitand will in the next lpositionenga'ge interveningteethof the ratc 'et to break the circuit.A 1

It fis obvious that this switch Vmay be interposed in a conductor vline at any v'point along the length thereof. It be `made k'comparatively small` and light. It is especially adaptedto be used on flexible wires 'which are connected lto 'a portable electric `-va`.}')pliance. The -hub 111isan integral part ot'l'therswitch block'S, and'it 'remains rela- -t-ively vstationary -Jwhile'T-the sleeve 23 'and ratchet '24,f1together with the head-f81 are rotat'edl. to4 switch l'the current on 'or oif,"thus Vprotecting the conductor wiresp'l and 14 Y =While=I have shownand described in 'conlsideral le detail -the preferred A'o'rm zof the vvinvention, lit .iis obvious, that the'co'nstrulctio'n fofft'hezsamem'ay be considerably modified 'without anyjmaterial 'departure jfrom-'the *salient @features @of the invention, 'as eX- Y apresse'd in i the claims, and rwithout 'sacrificla: ingfany'fofiitsaadvantages.

axis of rotation, a bridge piece said ratchet member and keyed to the What I claim is: 1. A switch comprising a block of insulating material having a hub projecting froml :mgfcertain of said teeth, co-operatingV contacts carried by lsaid block and resiliently held Yagainst said member in the path of said first mentioned contacts, whereby to be elec- 'tricallyconnected through saidbridge piece,

'or'disconn'e'cted, by the relative rotation .of said member with respect to the block,

a separable housing enclosing said block and block, and ymeans extending outside the housing for eifectingrotation ofthe 'ratchet member.

'2. A switch 'comprising a block of insulatinv material formed 'with a hub projectin rom one face thereof,`s`a'id block and hu having a i central' openingA through which the Vconductor wires may pass, a

'sleeve of insulating material rotatably.I

mounted on said hub and ormed'at its'inner end with a wheel having peripheral ratchet lteeth projecting in a plane per en-A vdicular toits axis, a bridge piece in the orm of laringvcircumscribing said hub between the blockand said -wlieel lvand formed with cont-acts overlying certain voff'said teeth, said contacts serving to hold'the `bridge piece `for rotationwith the wheel,binding posts carried by said block, conductor members' connected to said'bindin'g-posts and having contacts overlying th'erim' iof :said

wheel-Tand resiliently l,held against thepei riphery thereof, whereby to 'engage'the contactsfonsaid bridge-piece 'or disengage the same, as the wheel is rotated, and meansfor rotating said wheel at will.

l 3. A switch comprising "two members of V'insulatingmaterial,"onef'having a hub on which the other is rotatablymounted, said -Vmembers'"having vopposed fiat faces perpendicular Ato the Vaxis of rotation, means kholding said "members against relative Taxial movement, one of said members having `peripheraly ratchet teeth, a vbridge piece held betweenl 'said #opposed "faces, and" formed Y-with contacts `overlying 4vthe lsloping faces lof certain of said teeth vandfserving to 1 hold the VIKbridg'e piece against circumferential movement -wit'h v'respectV V:to said teeth, binding postsonthe other of said members, con- 'tacts connected with said/binding posts and resilientlyhe'ld against said teeth to beson- VJ'nected by said bridge'V piece atv certain `periodsin the rotation offsa'id members.

4.' A `-`switch comprising two `members'V of f ins'ulating material, one having a hub on which 'the other `'is rotatably mounted, one

lilo

of saidf'members being formed with 4ratchet teeth, a separatebrdge piece :formed with contacts overlying certain of said teeth and helol in position on the toothed vmember solely by engagement with said teeth "and with the other member, contacts secured to said Y last mentioned member and alternately engageable kand disengageable by thecontaots on the bridge piece and upon relative rotation-of the two members, and a separable housing holdingv said two members inassembled relation. 4

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name tothis specification.

JOYYB. SCHMITT. f A 

